An investigation of the effect of coding education based on game-based learnig and demonstration method on the academic achievement of middle school students

In this study, it was aimed to examine the effect of coding education given by game-based learning and demonstration method in the Information Technologies and Software course on fifth grade students' coding achievement and students' opinions about game-based coding education. In the study, mixed method was used in which quantitative and qualitative data were used together. In the evaluation of the game-based coding education, the data obtained from the achievement test and the interview form with the students were used. A total of 37 students, 16 in the control group and 21 in the experimental group, from the fifth grade students studying at Yeniçubuk Cumhuriyet Secondary School in the 2022-2023 academic year, participated in the study. A 16-hour game-based coding lesson was taught with the experimental group of 21 students, and a coding lesson was taught with the control group using the demonstration method. During the implementation process, which was carried out according to the pretest-posttest experimental design with control group, the students' level of achievement of the relevant outcomes was evaluated holistically with the achievement test and the quality of the learning experiences was evaluated holistically with the opinions taken from the students at the end of the implementation process carried out for 8 weeks and 16 lessons. As a result of the research, there was no significant difference in the coding achievement levels of the students in the control and experimental groups. Although there was no significant difference, the coding achievement scores of the students in the experimental group increased more than the coding achievement scores of the students in the control group. The views of the experimental group students on game-based coding education were examined through interviews and it was determined that they developed a positive perspective at the end of the experimental process and experienced an easier and more enjoyable instruction process.